BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERTROPHY
Benign prostatic hypertrophy is the medical term for an enlarged prostate gland. This male gland is located between the bladder and the penis and the urethra. The urethra travels through the prostate gland tissue. As men age, nearly all have some enlargement of this gland. The pressure of the enlarging gland can obstruct the urine outflow from the bladder. This eventually can cause symptoms such as frequent urination (especially at night), urgency, difficulty starting the flow of urine, reduction in force and caliber of the urine stream and a sense of incomplete bladder emptying.
Conventional medical treatment of these symptoms includes watchful waiting, drugs, and surgery. Proscar is a drug that prevents the buildup of dihydrotestosterone. This derivative of the male sex hormone testosterone stimulates the prostate gland and contributes to enlargement. Proscar can cause impotence and lowered sex drive in some men. Other commonly used drugs include Hytrin, Minipress and Cardura. These are alpha-1 adrenergic blocking agents and are used to treat high blood pressure. Although these drugs control symptoms, they do not slow progression of the condition and they commonly produce fatigue and dizziness due to the lowering of blood pressure. A newer agent called Flomax is more selective and less likely to lower blood pressure.
Surgery to relieve obstruction is usually done through a scope passed up the urethra (transurethral resection of prostate – TURP). The risk of incontinence is significant but relief of symptoms is generally greater than with drugs. Over 350,000 of these surgeries are done yearly in America.
The holistic approach to this condition will often prevent or delay symptom progression. Diet is important and should avoid high fat intake and refined carbohydrates (sugars, white bread, etc.). Caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and spicy foods are often contributors and should be minimized. Beer, in particular, elevates levels of prolactin, a brain hormone that increases production of the dihydrotestosterone.
Herbs are a mainstay in treatment and have been shown to be as effective as the prescription drugs. Saw palmetto acts to block conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone but does not cause impotence. It is less expensive and has a long record of safe use. The usual dose is 160 mg twice a day of an extract of the berries containing 90% fatty acids. A preventive dose would be 160 mg once a day. The powdered bark of the tree Pygeum africanus (100mg twice daily) also is helpful and appears to have no toxic side effects. Many products on the market now contain both of these together. Frequent ejaculation has been shown to be associated with a lower risk of BPH.
The essential fatty acid omega-3 is helpful to shrink an enlarged prostate. They occur in cold-water fish, flaxseed oil, soybeans and pumpkin seeds. The supplement dose is 1-2 tablespoons of omega-3 oil daily or six 1,000 mg capsules of flaxseed oil daily. Zinc is crucial to proper prostate function so supplements of 20-40 milligrams daily will ensure adequate tissue levels. High zinc intake can block copper absorption so take a multivitamin or mineral complex with 2-4 mg of copper at a different time of day. Vitamin C is an important anti-oxidant and a dose of 2 grams 2-3 times daily is advisable. Vitamin A in doses of 10,000-15,000 I.U. daily, Vitamin E 400 I.U. daily as natural d-alpha-tocopherol, Vitamin B-6 100 mg twice daily (lowers prolactin levels), and a daily multivitamin are all recommended.
From a bioenergetic perspective, the prostate and male sex organs are related to feelings of security, survival and connection to the earth and one’s “tribe”. Many men in America have lost the connection to the earth and have no sense of belonging to a larger group. Addressing emotional issues around security, developing more connections to other men and healing old emotional wounds can all help empower men and increase sexual and prostate gland functioning.
Daniel Blodgett MD